


How Memories can save a Birthday

by Ninnifu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marauders, The Marauder's Map
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:54:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25980154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninnifu/pseuds/Ninnifu
Summary: The english version of my german story "Wie Erinnerungen einen Geburtstag retten".Harry tries to help Teddy with his feelings of being alone. Sometimes a little help from others can make your day. That's something Teddy also will learn. It's not always something material that shows the love of the ones we keep near us. Sometimes it's the thought behind it and the feeling that there are a lot of people that care for one.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks, Teddy Lupin/Victoire Weasley
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I will split the story into 4 chapters, because it will take a little bit of time to translate it properly.  
> And there is again no beta-reader because I've already written the story and just try to translate it for english readers as well. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story. :)

Harry looked out of the window with a concerned look. In the glow of the setting sun he saw two figures chasing each other on their brooms and playing a quaffle to each other.  
The red, thick hair of his wife, Ginny, reflected the last rays of the sun and caused a fiery red aura to illuminate her face.  
The second, smaller figure was Teddy. Teddy with his bright blue hair, Teddy who from year to year seemed to look more like Remus without scars. He laughed happily as Ginny lifted the ball from his hand and flew away with it.  
Teddy was meanwhile in his third year at Hogwarts and was getting harder to handle. Andromeda had been grateful when Harry had offered her to have Teddy for the last two weeks at their house before the end of the summer vacation, in the hope that the teenage boy would open up more to his godfather.  
Unfortunately he had not achieved anything so far. The usually so loving and cheerful Teddy who openly and honestly told Harry about everything had become a quiet, withdrawn boy.  
Teddy had become happier since visiting the Potters, but was still more withdrawn. Ginny was also seriously worried and dragged the boy into the garden to practice Quidditch with him and teach him new maneuvers of the Holyhead Harpies that he could use at Hogwarts.

Harry's looks wandered from the two of them to the bookshelf in his living room. Tucked there between two big books about the unbelievably boring history of magic, he hid the Marauder's map. He had thought about giving it to Teddy for a long time. However, Teddy's reaction to the card and especially to its authors worried him.  
Sighing, he got to the shelf and pulled the card out from among the books.

"If only I could ask your advice ..." Harry mumbled softly, stroking the old wad of parchment.

"What do you have there daddy?" Harry heard a squeaky voice from the doorway.  
He turned and saw his eldest standing there, wearily rubbing his eyes with his fists.

"You're awake again, albeit late. Even though you didn't want to take a nap ..." Harry said with a smile, hid the map in his sweatshirt jacket and picked up his son.

"Hmmm. I'm hungry." James muttered sleepily.

"The meal will be ready soon. What do you think, wouldn't it be nice if you watch Mum and Teddy flying till it's ready? Then maybe you can learn something straight away!"

James smiled all over his face. "Can I fly too ?!"

Harry laughed nervously. "I think Mum will think it's too early. But soon you can definitely fly with us." Harry muttered embarrassed.

James pouted, but then nodded and walked into the garden with his head held high, as if to prove how grown up he was. That made Harry laugh.  
After Harry had woken Albus and Lily and they had all eaten together, Teddy had quickly said goodbye, commenting that he was incredibly tired from flying and had disappeared into his room. Ginny had taken it with a concerned expression and put the children to bed while Harry washed the dishes, magically of course.

"I was hoping to cheer him up!" Ginny muttered dejectedly when she entered the kitchen again.

Harry looked at her and nodded.  
"Flying has always cleared my mind."

Ginny looked at him with tears in her eyes and sighed.  
"We have to do something! I tried to get something out of him. Except that his hair briefly changed between red and black, I didn't achieve much. He cried in his room too ... "  
Ginny looked to the window. The full moon stood there in the sky and illuminated the garden in which some gnomes hunted each other.

"He misses them. Both of them. And as hard as we try, we can never really replace them." Ginny said softly.

Harry nodded again.  
"I tried to tell him that subliminally. That we are not trying to replace something, but rather supplement it. Maybe that was the mistake. Maybe he feels left out." He rubbed his hair furiously.  
"What would I give for asking advice from anyone."

Ginny looked away from the moon at Harry and seemed to know what he meant.  
"If you had these people you'd like to ask for advice, we probably wouldn't have the problem."

"I miss them." Harry mumbled softly.

Ginny nodded and put her arms around Harry's neck.  
"Me too."

"I have to come up with something. That is my duty as a godfather."

Ginny looked up at Harry with a smile.  
"I have no doubt that you will do your best. Maybe we should take you as an example."

Harry looked down at her into those big brown eyes and gave her a confused look.  
"What do you think?"

"Well, what did Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Hagrid, Albus and all the others do to make you feel safe and happy with them. Maybe that's exactly what Teddy could use right now."

Harry smiled happily, a plan forming in his head. "You are a genius, darling!" Happily, he bent down to Ginny and kissed her lovingly.

"That's why you married me!" Ginny replied with a laugh.  
"But I will go to bed now. Tomorrow will be a long day, especially with the visit to Diagon Alley. Don't ponder everything for too long!" Ginny said and went upstairs to the bedroom.

Harry sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. Suddenly a thought occurred to him.  
"Accio feather," he mumbled softly as he fished the wad of parchment out of his jacket.  
“Open up.” Harry said, tapping the parchment with his wand.

For a brief moment Harry panicked that the map would no longer work as all of its creators had died, but the magic that was on the parchment still seemed to work regardless, because after a brief pause, words appeared on the parchment.

"Mr Padfoot is irritated. Does Harry not remember the password? Is he now so old and senile that he has problems with his memory. Should he start drooling from senility, Mr Padfoot would be grateful for a little distance from the Map."

"Mr Prongs is worried. Harry hasn't looked at the map in a long time. He was worried that he misplaced the map."

"Mister Moony fears that Harry didn't use the wrong code not without ulterior motives and wonders about it."

"Mister Wormtail is happy to hear from Harry."

Harry smiled happily. Almost reverent, he ran his fingers over the writing that looked familiar to him from letters or from the blackboard at Hogwarts.  
Sighing softly, he took the pen and began to write his own text under the sentences.  
"I wonder if you could advise and help me?"

"Mister Prongs is happy to help and advise! What prank are you planning?"

"Mister Padfoot recommends Zonko's stink bombs! 20 of them in one room and even the most talented potions professor is overwhelmed and will grab his socks and get and out of the room immediatly!"

"Mister Wormtail wonders what advice Harry could use from some marauders."

"Mister Moony points out that the high born gentlemen were only the creators of a map and are not real people!"

Harry smiled wryly. It was amazing how well the characters of each marauder came out.  
"I'm aware of that! Don't worry. But a little of your thinking and your character is in here. I was just wondering how far you could communicate with someone to, let's say, lighten the mood."

For a short time no words appeared, but then he recognized Remus' sloping, neat and curved handwriting.  
"Mister Moony claims that Mr. Prongs and Padfoot are good clowns to lighten the mood."

"Mr. Padfoot agrees!"

"Mister Wormtail would be happy to put someone in a good mood and cheer someone up."

"Mister Prongs wonders if Harry is talking about himself and wants to know what happened."

Harry felt tears well up in his eyes.  
"No. I'm not the one who needs help. Even though I'm really happy to read from you guys!"

"Mr. Moony gets the feeling that Harry hasn't seen us in a while ..."

"Mr. Padfoot is concerned that Harry is alone and unable to find his way around."

"Mr. Wormtail would like to talk to Harry more often if that helps!"

"Mr. Prongs will always be there for you."  
Harry smiled and tried to blink the tears away from his eyes.

"If I explain what happened here, would you do the same for someone who is very important to me?"

"Mr. Padfoot does not want the document in someone else's hands and wonders why he should be able to help?"

"Mr. Wormtail is similarly irritated."

"Mr. Prongs is happy to do this if it helps Harry, even if he has doubts about it being useful."

"Mr. Moony is wondering if he should know the person Harry would voluntarily give the map to?"

Harry smiled.  
"Yes! You would help and yes, you know the boy. Or you will get to know him. I will tell you about him! And I solemly swear that the card will not leave the family!"

Silence.  
"That calms me." Appeared in Sirius' script.

"Mr. Prongs is surprised, does Harry have children yet?"

"Mr. Moony advises Mr. Prongs to keep his oversized mouth shut and let Harry talk."

Harry laughed and started to write. It would be a long night if he tried to explain who Teddy was and what had happened.  
It was quite an unpleasant experience telling the marauder's youthful selves how they had died. But it was also a real pleasure to hear how much they were happy about Remus happiness, albeit it was a very brief one, and how longingly they talked about Harry's children too.  
Now Harry just had to prepare the rest. He was just beginning writing letters to Minerva, the Weasleys, and some school friends and former Order members such as Kingsley when the sun was rising and Ginny walked sleepily into the kitchen.

"You didn't get to sleep at all. Are you crazy!"

Harry looked guilty at her.  
"I'm sorry, I had to prepare something."

"And that couldn't wait until morning?"

Harry shook his head. "No, the preparations take a little while and I have to finish it in time for Teddy's birthday."

Ginny looked a little milder at Harry. Before she could ask, however, Teddy ran into the kitchen. He must have actually cried last night, his eyes puffy and red.  
Harry felt the worry rise in himself, but tried to cover up the situation.  
"Morning, slept well?"

Teddy looked at Harry and forced a smile, if grateful that Harry didn't ask him about how he looked.  
"Yes very good."

Ginny broke the silence that followed.  
"Would you be so good and wake up the others?"

Teddy nodded and disappeared from the kitchen again while Ginny started preparing breakfast.  
Teddy ran up the stairs to get to the other's rooms. He had had a long night. The sight of the full moon made him sad. A few weeks ago he had dug up his father's Defense Against the Dark Arts book from his grandmother's attic and started looking at the topics he would be doing in the third year. He got stuck with the chapter about werewolves ...

Carefully he knocked on James' room door and opened it. The black-haired boy was wrapped in his blanket in bed and was still fast asleep. Next to him was a collectors album for Quidditch players of the season. He must have had a long night too. But for less drastic reasons. He sneaked quietly to the bed and began to tickle James awake.  
He kicked around laughing until Teddy had mercy on him.  
"God morning, I see you have some new cards!" Teddy said with a laugh and pointed to the album. James smiled all over his face.

"Yeah, and I can buy new ones in Diagon Alley today! Would you like to sort them out with me?"  
James asked with shining eyes and looked at the posed Quidditch players of a Bulgarian team.

"Sure, of course!" Teddy said with a smile and ruffled James' wild hair.

"If I ever get to Hogwarts, I want to go to Hufflepuff too." James muttered thoughtfully as he began to pluck Teddy's yellow and black striped socks.

"Then I'll be with my big brother!" He added with a smile and gave Teddy a big hug.

He was so surprised that he didn't even react. Then he felt tears welling up in his eyes. This time not out of grief. This time it was tears of joy.  
Teddy woke Albus a little faster, who followed James clumsily into the kitchen. Teddy ran into Lily's room and carefully lifted her out of the cot. With a big smile he carried her into the kitchen and put her in her high chair.

"Thank you!" Ginny said and stroked Teddy's blue hair lovingly before starting to feed Lily. He decided to entertain Albus and James and began to grunt through a pig's nose. Both had to laugh out loud.

Ginny smiled sadly too, he reminded her very much of Tonks. Then she pulled herself together and said, "Teddy, please eat first. You know that Albus doesn't eat properly when he's distracted!"

Teddy grinned mischievously and answered with an innocent expression: "Sorry, I forgot."  
Then Teddy looked around in surprise. "Where's Harry?"

"Oh he's got a hurried owl and he's upstairs with, Kingsley wanted to talk to him o er the floo-network."

Teddy nodded and began to eat. As an Auror, you were always on call and available. But still he wanted to become one at some point. Just like his mother and his godfather!  
He didn't know that Harry wasn't talking to Kingsley about the job ...

A few hours later the whole Potter family and Teddy were out and about in Diagon Alley. The hustle and bustle was even greater shortly before school started. Hectic wandering wizard families and muggle parents who looked around lost but absolutely amazed. Teddy studied the list with Harry while Ginny reassured Lily, for whom the crowd was unusually new and intimidating.

"HARRY?" Harry turned in surprise. Cho rushed towards him with a big smile.

He smiled back a little surprised but otherwise rather reserved. Cho was followed by a man who examined the shops with big, incredulous eyes and a little girl about 10 or 11 who seemed to be the child of both.

Teddy looked at the woman with mild interest. James had pulled his sleeve and pointed on a broom two shop windows away. Both made off to examine him.

"Oh yes, wait a minute." Harry's voice reached Teddy's ear. "Hey you two, come over here." He called to Teddy and James. "So that's all of my four, the big one is Teddy, the young man on his sleeve is James Sirius, here we have Albus Severus and the little bundle on Ginny's arms is Lily Luna."  
Harry pointed to the four children standing around Ginny.

Teddy looked at Harry with wide eyes. But before he could say anything, Cho spoke.

"Oh my, they are all really cute. And I like the color of your hair," she added to Teddy. The boy turned red. Not only on the cheeks but also the ends of his hair showed a slight reddish cast.  
"Oh, a Metamorphmagus. You certainly won't have any problems with Professor McGonagall later!" Cho said with a laugh and introduced Harry to her family.

Teddy hardly listened to it, though. He was still overwhelmed. Harry had listed him as one of his children. Teddy's heart beat wildly with joy and he beamed all over his face.

After they had packed all their things, the entire family lolled into the cozy living room and went about their business. Teddy, who was sorting cards with James, didn’t miss that Harry was concentrating on writing a few letters. He wondered what secret mission Harry was involved in ...

Two days later, Teddy found himself at KingsCross and felt a slight sting in the heart area as he had to say goodbye to his godfather and his family. He loved Hogwarts, but he also loved visiting Harry. Especially after Diagon Alley. He would miss him sorely.

"Teddy!" It echoed from a window of the scarlet steam train. He looked away from James, whom he had just said goodbye to, towards the window. Victoire waved happily and gestured for him to come over to her. He felt how he put on a stupid grin and his face became very warm. Additionally, Harry noticed the boy's hair tips turning red again and smiled slightly.

Harry, who was now standing alone with Teddy on the platform, as Ginny and the children were on the way to the car, furtively tapped his shoulder. Teddy turned and looked at Harry just as furtively back.  
"You like her don't you?"

Teddy blushed slightly but then nodded.  
Harry smiled mildly and answered calmly.  
"Just stay the way you are, that works best, good luck, write to me if you feel you need an open ear."

Teddy looked at him a little more confidently and smiled, then he played a salute and laughed out loud. "Aye, aye sir!"

"Speaking of your birthday, we will come to Hogsmeade, of course only if you want, but we have tons of presents for you!" Harry said with a laugh, adding.

Teddy beamed at him. "Of course that would be really cool!"

"So now off into the train, otherwise you'll miss it! Give my regards to Victoire!" Harry shouted over the loud whistling noises of the train and Teddy jumped on just in time. He gave Harry a quick wave and then disappeared.

When he got to the car he saw his family waiting.  
"You will surely tell me what you have planned now that you can speak freely, right?" Ginny asked sternly but also curiously.

Harry laughed. "You will even be part of it!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope, that the translation is more or less okay and how it should be.  
> Have fun, Chapter three coming soon :)

The weeks passed and Teddy had settled in again at Hogwarts. He was just sitting in the library, tired from reading, and was watching Victoire who was sitting across from him, concentrated on a transformation essay.

"Animagi are really a tough subject, don't you think?" She mumbled softly and desperately and looked up from her essay.

"Hmmm" uttered Teddy and bit into a piece of chocolate that he had smuggled past Madam Pince. He remembered the essay from last school year and was annoyed not to have taken it with him to give it to Victoire for help.

"Have you finished the Potions essay that you told me about?"  
Victoire asked in surprise.

"Yep, I have Vic, how about we go for a walk. I'm getting dusty and it doesn't get any better if I keep crouching here like an old gargoyle."

Victoire's eyes wandered to the window.  
"Hey, Hagrid is here. Maybe we can go see him."

Teddy looked happily at the smoke rising from Hagrid's cozy little hut. He loved Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. It was probably some classic Hufflepuff thing, but he didn't really care. They quickly packed their things and made their way to Hagrid.  
A few ninutes later they were standing in front of Hagrids hut and he opened the door and smiled all over his face.  
"Hello you two, haven't seen each other for a long time. Come in."

They spent the early evening with Hagrid and talked about the Nifflers from the previous day, while a warm fire crackled in the fireplace and bathed the room in a cozy yellow-orange light despite the slight chaos.  
"It's a shame that they are so chaotic." Victoire said sadly. 

Teddy laughed happily and said "Just imagine what poor Mr. Scamander had to go through with them in his care... Rolf tells so much about it."  
Victoire nodded thoughtfully as she thought about what Luna's husband told her.

Hagrid cut them both off with a big grin. "Well next year you choose Care of Magical Creatures, then you can mess around with them." Then he made a thoughtful expression and looked at Teddy.

"I have something here for you, Teddy, by the way! Hope you like it. It's a little early, but I think I won't see you too long tomorrow." With that said, Hagrid presented Teddy with an inconspicuously wrapped package.

Teddy looked at Hagrid with wide eyes. "Woah thanks"

Hagrid laughed thunderously.  
"Well, you haven't even unpacked it, just wait and see, maybe you don't like it at all."

Teddy carefully unwrapped the present and looked surprised at a stack of parchment that was held together with a vegetable-like binding.  
Teddy looked at Hagrid with a confused look.

"Well, you know, I made it together with some of the forest-inhabitants. I got the idea that you like books, but you read so much anyway, I thought, a book with drawn pictures and only a little text would be nice. The centaurs painted scenes for me that they saw, the fairies made the book cover from leaves of the forest, the silk with which the cover is attached comes from the acromantulas and I thought about the text. Ferenze wrote it down for me. Has such a beautiful font. I mean, although it's just a picture book, I hope you like it also with 14 too. " Hagrid looked at the ground, slightly unsettled.

Teddy eyes shone. "Wow that's unbelievable. How did you get them all to help? Thanks!"  
Hagrid looked proudly at Teddy out of his black eyes.

"They like you. Always helpful, you are nice, calm and meet them at eye level. They like that. Open it up. I hope you like the story."

Teddy opened the book and his breath caught. He saw a shadow figure between trees. The drawing was breathtakingly beautiful. The centaurs were very talented indeed. Teddy flipped on and on and felt his eyes fill with tears. A few pages later he saw a werewolf sitting in a clearing howling at the moon. He turned the pages and saw a woman with pink hair and a man with a scarred face kissing each other lovingly in the glow of a waxing moon near the large lake between trees that seemed to be the outskirts of the forest.  
Teddy fell into Hagrid's arms with tears in his eyes.  
"That's beautiful. One of the best gifts I've ever received. Thank you Hagrid." He muttered into the half-giant's ear and tried to catch himself again.

Victoire gently stroked the paintings.  
"Beautiful" she whispered.

Teddy picked up the book and pressed it to his chest like precious treasure as they left Hagrid for dinner.  
The story of his parents. How they got to know each other. He pressed the book tighter. Indeed, the book had quickly become one of his most prized possessions.

The next day, Teddy was woken up by his friends.  
"ALL THE BEST YOU SLEEPY HEAD" laughed Justin loudly and ruffled the sleepy Teddy's blue hair.

Teddy looked around the inviting dormitory.  
Some presents were lying on the yellow bedspread at Teddy's foot end. He opened them all curiously and was happy about the gifts like a little king. 

Professor Neville had given him a sapling of a small plant, James had sent some of the Quidditch cards of which Teddy had told him that the players were role models for him, Albus had sent him a colorful self-painted picture on which he had doodled his name and Lily's name.

A unlabeled package was also included. Green ink wished him 'Happy Birthday' in curved handwriting. A book from the muggle literature. He smiled, he recognized the writing. He'd seen it before on the Hogwarts packing list a few weeks ago.

Molly sent him a sweater embroidered with a large T and candy; George had sent him a good selection of Weasley's Skiving Snackbox range. Ron and Hermione had also sent him a book and candy.

Percy had sent him a new, very nice quill, Bill and Fleur gave him a beautiful comb with shells with Fleur's comment, a piece of paper that most closely resembled a small howler and said: "For your beautiful 'air that you urgently need to tame. "

Charlie's package contained a pair of new dragon skin gloves for Care of Magical Creatures. His grandmother had given him a very pretty, probably very expensive, wristwatch, as well as candy and a book on Quidditch. He beamed all over his face.

With the amount of packages he realized how many people were thinking of him.  
He felt like he was wrapped in a woolly, warm blanket. The others in his dormitory brought him their presents, mostly items from Zonkos and sweets. He thanked everyone and made his way to the Great Hall. Victoire would kill him if he didn't come soon.

She, too, beaming, handed him a package.  
"I hope you like it." She mumbled a little nervously and watched Teddy as he opened the package. A beautifully painted wooden box appeared.  
Teddy opened it reverently and saw paints and brushes in it.

"Y-you meant you like to paint, so I wrote to Aunt Gabrielle and asked her to paint the wooden box. I then filled it up."  
As she said this, Teddy ran his finger over the paintings. These consisted of a lunar cycle, pink flowers and a badger chasing a wolf.

"Thank you. That's absolutely great. Your aunt is really talented."

Victoire seemed relieved that Teddy liked her present and giggled happily.  
"First you have to paint me!" She said making a pose with a laugh while Teddy huffed his pumpkin juice in shock.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it comes, chapter three... Maybe I will write something in the future, that tells the stories of the adventures Teddy will get into because of the map🤔...
> 
> Hope you will enjoy it. Have fun :)

A few hours later, Teddy made his way down to Hogsmeade with Victoire and was happy to see Harry and Ginny standing in a place near The Three Broomsticks. Ginny's bright red hair could even be recognized in the bustle of a well-attended Hogsmeade and Harry with his glistening glasses was also really well visible.  
He happily ran up to Harry and threw himself into his open arms.

"Happy Birthday!" Harry could only said in between a good laugh before Ginny pulled Teddy out of Harry's hug and took him into a tight hug of her own.

"From me too!" She muttered in his ears.

"Thanks, where are we going?" Teddy asked curiously.

Harry smiled mischievously and pointed to the hogs head.  
Teddy raised his eyebrows in surprise.  
"Are you sure that-"

"A lot." Harry cut off the word and pulled him over to the pub.

Once inside, Teddy blinked in surprise. In the middle of the taproom, a shallow basin floated from which bright blue light illuminated the room.  
The publican Aberforth stood behind the counter and looked like this was completely normal.  
"Will you prepare 4 butterbeers for us, please Aberforth?" The addressed man looked up and nodded. Harry smiled warmly in his direction.   
"A old friend.."

"It is for free." Aberforth whispered afterwards and nodded to Teddy.

"See it as his way of wishing you all the best." Ginny said with a giggle and pushed Teddy over to the glowing basin.

"What's this?" Teddy asked confused.

"Part 2 of your 3-part birthday present." Harry answered with a grin.  
"Here's the boring part 1 first."

As he did so, he pointed to the table on which a large package and two smaller layers were placed. Teddy sat down and began to unwrap the presents. Meanwhile Aberforth served the butterbeers.  
A new racing broom, candy and a photo album were hidden in the paper.  
A large lump formed in Teddy's throat when looking through the album. Pictures of his parents and him as a baby as well as pictures that only showed his parents. They smiled happily at him.

"This is a Lupin family photo album. Without us. No one can take your family away from you or replace it!" Said Harry. 

Teddy, who had recovered a little, wistfully stroked his parents' faces with his fingertips and smiled.

"Let's go to part 2." Harry said, pulling Teddy onto his legs towards the glowing pool.  
"It's a Pensieve. Minerva's. She lends it to us."

"Manifique!" He heard Victoire mutter behind him.

"What is it doing?" Teddy asked and looked at the blue liquid in which slowly wafting white / silvery strands floated back and forth.

"You can look at people's memories in it as if you were there. That's how I get your gift. There are many involved. Former Order members, school friends, the Weasleys, us, some teachers at Hogwarts."

Teddy looked at Harry with an astonished face.  
Harry smiled and held out his hand.  
Teddy grabbed it without hesitation and felt a strange cool feeling that surrounded his body. He opened his eyes and looked around. Hogwarts. Harry stood next to him.  
"Come on, we have to go or we'll miss it."  
Teddy looked at Harry questioningly.

Harry pulled Teddy towards the castle after him.  
It was already dark and accordingly they blinded the light when they entered the entrance hall. A much younger looking Minerva McGongall was waiting at the stairs. A crowd of students ran towards her. Teddy recognized almost exactly 6 faces among them. One of them was that of his 11 year old father. The little boy already had deep scars on his face and looked tired. However, he still smiled happily up at Minerva. Other faces where the ones of a boy looking just like Harry without a scar and brown eyes. That one must have been Harry father James. Next to him a taller boy with black thick hair and grey eyes smiling all over his face, must be Harry godfather Sirius he has seen in family-photo-albums. The small boy with a rat-like face must be Peter the boy, Harry had told him about, got on a wrong path. Than there was a small witch with red firey hair beside a boy with long black sleek hair. Must be Snape (one of Harrys former teachers he said was a hero) and Harrys mother with her green shining eyes. And so it continues. Teddy saw various memories of other people concerning his parents. The school days and childhood of his mother, the wedding, the news that he was born, order missions and the associated memories almost tore his heart apart. Then the environment changed again. Teddy caught his breath. He was standing on the astronomy tower at Hogwarts and saw his father and Kingsley standing there. They both talked as they watched large shield spells cover Hogwarts and the stone statues began to move, guarding the entrances. That had to be the battle at Hogwarts. Teddy's stomach cramped when he saw his mother run to his father and give him a big hug. If only she had listened to his father. Then maybe she would still be here.  
Harry seemed to notice Teddy swallowing and mumbling something to him.

"I know the following won't be nice, but I promised your father that I would try to show you what they fighted for and maybe it will help you find inner peace and understanding for their choices they've made."

Teddy looked worriedly at Harry and watched the scene change again. He saw the brutal fighting, some of which his parents were also taking part in. The scene changed again and he was standing next to a blood covered, scratched Harry who was a few years younger. The older Harry cleared his throat beside him.

"Take my hand, you don't have to, it's- it's just an offer." Teddy looked at Harry confused and understood. That must have been the moment when Harry found out that his parents were dead. Teddy nodded, took Harry's hand and said in a slightly brittle voice "no, I want it."

Both went to the corpses that were lying there as if they were just holding off a short sleep after all the exertions. Teddy felt tears running down his cheeks.

The scene changed again, and Teddy was grateful, if confused, about what was to come next. He looked around and saw the dark forest. The younger Harry was kissing a snitch and opening his eyes. Teddy looked around and saw the familiar faces again, but now a few years older. James, Sirius, Lily from the memories before and his father.

"Others will tell him what his mother and father died for. One day he will understand." this sentence echoed in Teddy as he nodded to his father with tears in his eyes.

"I get it Dad!" Teddy stuttered slightly.

Then the scene changed again. He looked up and saw his parents standing in his grandmother's warm living room, both of them had Teddy half in their arms between them and smiled brightly at him. His father was toying with Teddys small fingers. Teddy couldn't help but smile too. This last memory must have come from his grandmother and he felt his heart leap. It was nice to see how they spent the short time together as a young family.

Then Teddy was torn from the Pensieve and looked around The Hogs Head again. Tears still glistened on his cheeks, but he had a big smile on his face.  
"Thanks I- " Teddy said and stoppes midsentence and hugged Ginny and Harry.  
"T-thanks, I don't know how I-"

"Hey we're not done yet!" Harry interrupted.  
He drew a long parchment from his jacket pocket and ceremoniously handed it to Teddy.  
He looked at the parchment in surprise and then at Harry questioningly.  
He smiled and said proudly, "What you have to do will be explained to you when you later dribble a drop of ink on it. It is not a substitute and not even remotely comparable to the real thing, but I think you will appreciate it. Especially since it has nice secondary functions, well actually the main function ... "

Teddy looked at the parchment in amazement and then nodded.  
"Now let's go eat something tasty first. Deal?" Ginny said happily.

So they spent the rest of the day strolling through Hogsmeade and, above all, talked a lot about what they saw. Teddy listened, interested and impressed.

In the evening he was happy to finally be able to lie in bed when the parchment came back to his mind. He quickly grabbed his wand and whispered "Accio Feder".

Behind his curtains, hidden from view, he let a drop of ink fall on the parchment and writing became recognizable.  
"Who's there?" Asked a scrawly handwriting.

"I can also ask you back!" Teddy answered in his curved yet slightly chaotic font with surprise.

"Toucheé" answered another slightly neater script that reminded him of Harry's.

"Tell us your name and we'll tell you ours." Wrote a round third font.

A fourth font, curved, slightly crooked and very neat, wrote only one word.  
"Teddy?"

Teddy looked surprised at the paper, frowned and wrote:  
"Yes, Teddy Lupin. Now you have to tell me your names too. And what are you actually doing or better asked what are you?"

The scrawly script answered the quickest.  
"Mr. Padfoot here. You can also call me Sirius. An honor to meet the high-born Mr. Lupin Junior. And take it easy, one question after the other."

The somewhat neater script followed  
"Mr Prongs is happy to welcome the puppy and to offer advice, James is my name!"

Teddy's eyes widened. Was it possible?

"Mr. Wormtail joins that, Peter is also how they call me."

Teddy felt himself breathing heavily as the fourth script answered.

"Mr. Moony, my friends call me, Remus is what the family calls me. You are welcome to call me Dad."

Teddy felt tears well up in his eyes for what he felt was the hundredth time today. Carefully he stroked the writing and mumbled "Dad?" One of his tears landed on the parchment.

"Hey dwarf, stop crying, you're making your old man very sad and helpless. I'll have to fix his bottom to the chair with a sticky curse so that Moony doesn't keep running around like a frightened chicken because of you crying." Answered Sirius' scraggly writing on the drop.  
"Also it gets wet here."

Teddy looked at the words and smiled.  
"Pah, dwarf, I'm 14! You still haven't told me what this is."

"Then you will undoubtedly be in as much misery as your father by now. He could probably spit on your head without problems. Well, Moony, somehow, I only think it's right if you explain it to him. From father to son. That keeps you maybe up in front of the chair that will soon be stuck to your bum! Heavens, that's exciting. The map is actually being passed on from generation to generation. Filch will jump in a triangle and beg Merlin. " Wrote James.

Teddy giggled and replied:  
"Map?"

Wormtail's spherical font appeared:  
"The best ever made!"

His father's beautiful, curved handwriting appeared.  
"The Marauder's Map. It shows Hogwarts and the people wandering in it. You have to touch it with your wand and say the following words:  
》 I solemnly swear that I am a do no good! 《  
When you are done or want it to be invisible you have to say the following words   
》Mischief managed!《"

Teddy smiled.  
"That's pretty cool. But what are you guys then?"

"The authors of the card. We protect them with our more or less cynical comments. The card was so enchanted that it absorbs our personalities every time it is used by us. That's what you're talking to. However, we are a little better informed than we were then when our personalities were absorbed. " Replied Sirius.

"Where from? And about what?" Asked Teddy.

"About your life, little puppy. Harry wrote to us. We are now your secret advisers in all situations. And of course priceless for pranks!" James answered.

"Yes, you would rather ask your father the questions of your life situation than the two chaotics. Of course we can all help you with pranks!" Peter answered additionally.

Teddy laughed lightly.  
"Dad? I miss you. I love you. Even if I never got to know you ..." he smiled sadly.

"Judging from what I've heard from Harry, you must have grown to an amazing person. I'm proud of you. I love you. And your mother loves you too!" Wrote his father's handwriting.

Teddy smiled happily, Harry really thought of him and didn't see him as a burden. His gaze wandered to the clock.

"I'll get back to you tomorrow! It's late and I really need to go to sleep after today, it's been a long day. Good night!"  
He wrote quickly.

"Good night" formed three times. From James, Sirius and Peter. His father was missing. Teddy looked at the parchment in surprise.

Suddenly a long text appeared.  
"Harry already told me, but I need to hear from you. Do you have any symptoms? Please answer honestly. I couldn't live with that -...  
Is your birthday today?! By Merlin's beard. Dora would kill me if she knew I forgot it!  
I wish for you that you will find your happiness, not screw up too much and be successful!  
In love your father "

Teddy looked at the parchment with a loving smile.  
"I'm completely healthy. No partial or full lycanthropy. Don't worry.  
Yes, it was, but how should you have known, you're a trace of a personality in a parchment. Thanks, I - I may be able to tell you a little more about myself tomorrow. I have a nice friend who I really like very much.  
I love you  
Teddy "

With that, Teddy put the parchment down next to him and fell asleep smiling.  
The following morning he saw that his father and the others had answered.

"A GIRL. OH PRONGS THE POOR BOY WILL DROOL AFTERWARDS HER AS YOU HAD BEHIND LILY." Had Sirius' writing replied to Teddy's message yesterday.

"Oh how nice, what's her name?" Asked Peter.

And James replied, "Padfoot shut up. Not everyone can be as emotionally stunted as you are."

Remus' handwriting was again visible underneath.  
"That sounds wonderful, I'll be there when you want to tell me more."

"Dad of the year.;)" Followed by Sirius.

Teddy smiled, put the card in his pocket, and ran to the great hall. Indeed, that was the best birthday he had ever had.

After class, Teddy quickly withdrew to the grounds in a quiet corner under a tree. Victoire had Quidditch training and he could see her from there, how her light blonde, long hair was blowing in the breeze and shining in the sun. He could distinguish her form all the other players.  
He unwrapped the card and answered.  
"Her name is Victoire. She is really cool."

"Sounds like a nice one. Teddy be careful, at your age the girls start to twist your head! Especially if you come from Remus in terms of character and are the calm, shy guy." Replied Sirius.

At the same time, Peter's writing "Oh that's a beautiful name!"

James replied curtly "Padfoot, shut up and sit down! Sit down. Cush."

Teddy couldn't help but laugh. Harry had told him that all of them were Animagi and that Sirius was imitating a dog.

"That sounds good. Tell me more." Replied Remus' slanted neat handwriting again.  
Teddy was delighted with how understanding and loving his father replied.

"She's really great. A little younger, very intelligent, really pretty, very friendly, she's great with animals. She gave me a really great present!"

Peter's round writing appeared "She must really be a great woman! What did she give you?"

"Hopefully she has a slight urge to mischief, not that you become too behaved." Replied Sirius.

"Don't listen to the old black painter, he's just jealous." James added.

"Oh nonsense. I keep pining at Moony. I don't need to be jealous ... He is more of my type than blonde girls. :)" Sirius answered, probably not being taken seriously.

"Padfoot he's related to your cousin. I suspect he's automatically playing pranks."  
Replied his father. Teddy smiled, his mother was a prank genius.

"More or less. Minerva loves to point out to me that I'm a wicked prank genius, as are my two parents ...  
A beautifully painted wooden box in which the paint and brush were hidden. "

"I'm falling from my chair here laughing." James replied, adding "Minnie kept Sirius detained even though she knew something was your plan, Moony!"

Teddy had to smile when his father answered.  
"She just liked me! Besides, we're getting off the subject! Do you like to paint?"

"Yes, very much." He started sketching Victoire on her broomstick and was really glad she'd done it so well. "Victoire is a really good Quidditch player. She's fantastic at Herbology and Charms. She's funny and has good prank humor."

"Sounds like an absolute dream woman and looks like an absolute dream woman. Well maybe a more reddish hairtone would suit her..." James answered.

Teddy smiled and felt his cheeks warm.  
"Yes, she is. But I'm afraid she won't like me in that way. I don't dare to ask Harry for advice because Ginny has always liked him and he never had to worry about that. He would probably think I'm silly. "

"I can definitely talk you out of that!" Sirius writing appeared.  
"He had exactly the same problem. A pretty Ravenclaw from the Quidditch team had done it to him. Cho was her name, I think. And James? Stop it. Not everyone has a soft side for red-heads."

Teddy's eyes widened in surprise. Like the Cho he met in Diagon Alley a few months ago?  
"Oh I did not know that." He wrote down.

"You should worry less about what others think of you. That rarely gets you anywhere and prevents you from experiencing what you would like to do. I speak from experience. And your story about her makes me suspect that she is such a loving person that you don't have to worry. " His father's handwriting had appeared quickly.

Teddy nodded. "Well, I'll try. So to put myself a little more in the right light."

"Sounds good, I'm curious. Keep us up to date!" Sirius cracked quickly.

"Good luck" appeared to James writing.

"Be yourself, that's what girls like best!" Wrote Peter.

"I'm sure you will succeed. Write me if there is anything new! I believe in you and remember, you can always ask Harry for advice. I know that he will do his best to answer you. " His father's handwriting appeared one last time, the comments were gone.

Teddy sighed slightly nervously and made his way to the Quidditch stadium where the Ravenclaws trained.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last one for the story :)  
> Hope you like it :)

4 years later:

"Teddy, where are you?" Victoire called and ran on into the woods. She didn't like wandering the forest alone.

"Here I am." Teddy called and waved to her about ten feet away.

When Victoire got to him, Teddy smiled all over his face.  
"Come with me, I want to show you something!" Teddy took Victoire's hand and led her through the forest.

"It took me a long time to find the place, but I think it was really worth it."

The 7th grader and Victoire move to a clearing between the foothills of the forest. This place was beautiful indeed. The lake was calm and the sun was reflected in it, turning every little movement in the lake into a glitter on the surface.  
"Wow, how do you know about this place?" She asked with an incredulous smile.

Teddy smiled back happily.  
"Dad. Do you remember the book that Hagrid gave me when I was three years old? One of the drawings showed this place. Dad was here with Mum when they first kissed."

Victoire looked at Teddy from the lake in awe.  
"Thank you for sharing such an intimate place with me."

Teddy smiled furtively at her and got ends of red hair.  
"W-with you, I'd share anything."

Victoire looked from the sky to Teddy and blushed herself.  
She walked slowly to Teddy until the tip of her nose almost touched his chest, put her arms around his neck and smiled lovingly up at him.  
Teddy's heart almost popped out of his chest of joy and excitement. With his hair turning even redder, he bent down to Victoire and gave her a shy kiss.  
His hands went to her waist and hips.  
It was just fantastic.  
Both broke the kiss and beamed at each other.

"I'll miss you pretty much next year!" Victoire muttered and buried her face in his sweater.

Teddy looked down at her sadly and pulled her closer to him.  
"Me too, but I try to visit you as often as possible."

Victoire nodded at him with a satisfied expression. Her fingers entwined with his and she pulled him to the ground against a tree trunk that they could lean comfortably against.  
They spent the next few hours like this, until sunset announced that dinner would soon begin.

"I think we will have to go now so that we can be there on time." Teddy muttered softly into Victoire's blonde hair. She smiled at him. She had snuggled up against him and played with his blue hair.

"Okay. But we absolutely have to go back here sometime!"

Teddy nodded in agreement and pulled her to her feet. He never would have imagined how beautiful it would be to have Victoire not only as a best friend and partner in crime regarding pranks, but also a girlfriend...  
Slowly they wandered back through the forest when Teddy heard a soft snarling.  
He turned around quickly and saw a large dark figure moving towards them. Teddy's eyes went to the sky. 'Damn it, that couldn't be true!' The still relatively bright sunset sky showed a perfectly round, full moon.  
The werewolf padded on towards both of them, snarling and growling.  
Victoire looked at the creature with wide eyes. She had confessed to Teddy at one point that she was quite scared of werewolves after her father explained to her where the scars on his face came from.  
Teddy looked around in panic.

"Together!" He muttered and pulled out his wand. With a good deal of force, both fired 3 shock spells at the werewolf, who actually collapsed and remained lying still.

Teddy whispered softly, "Sorry. We saved you from a lot of guilt! Actually, I have absolutely nothing against you!"

And they both ran. Victoire was really fast and ran ahead.  
Then it happened. Teddy caught his foot on a root and fell his face frist to the ground. He felt a sharp pain in his ankle and a warm, damp sensation on his temple.

Carefully he touched it and looked at his fingers. Red. He must have been lacerated. Then his gaze wandered to the palms of his hands. Smaller stones stuck to his skin and had drilled well into his palms. One stone caught Teddy's interest. It looked polished and was otherwise relatively inconspicuous black. Only a triangular symbol with a circle and a line was incised on it. He looked at the stone with interest and turned it back and forth to find more clues to its origin. Suddenly he felt a cold surrounding him. No uncomfortable cold, but still a present cold.

He looked up and almost dropped the stone in shock.  
There in the clearing were his parents and another, older and somewhat plump man whom he recognized from photos of his grandmother. Ted Tonks, Remus and Dora Lupin stood in the clearing and smiled lovingly and proudly at him.

"Just look at you! How big you've got. The last time I saw you I was able to hide you comfortably under my sweatshirt jacket." Mumbled his mother with tears in her eyes and held out her hand to Teddy.  
Teddy looked breathlessly at the three figures.

"How?" He just asked.

"You have found the Resurrection Stone. It must be consumed with extreme caution! Do you remember the fairy tales of Beedle the Bard? The story of the three brothers?"  
His father asked with a mild smile on his face.

Teddy nodded. "The stone is not really supstitude for anything!" His father said with a worried look on his face. 

"I am proud to have such a handsome and intelligent grandson!" Ted beamed at him and put his hand on his mother's shoulder to show her that they had done a good job.  
Teddy smiled and struggled to sit up.

"I missed you so much! I love you. I understand why you acted the way you did and don't take it angrily." Teddy spoke in a slightly brittle voice and staggered towards his parents.  
Remus smiled at him with tears in his eyes.

"We are so proud of you!"  
Teddy tried to fall into his arms and only felt a cold haze pulling over his skin.  
He backed away and looked hurt at his parents.

"We don't belong here. We're so sorry." His mother muttered and swallowed.

"You mustn't get lost in this illusion, that's why the stone is so dangerous!" Said his father with a worried expression on his face.

Teddy nodded and mumbled softly "Yes, like the brother who led himself to madness and death with it."

Remus nodded. "We will wait for you! But first you have to live your life and gather experiences and memories. After all, you have to be able to tell us something!"

Teddy nodded and stroked the stone thoughtfully. "I will look forward to it."  
Remus beamed at Teddy.

"I love and miss you all!" He said to the three figures. All three smiled at him.

"We love you too!"  
Then Teddy closed his tearful eyes and threw the stone far away into the forest. He opened his eyes and his parents and grandfather were gone. He looked longingly into the void, hoping his parents would come out from behind the trees and take him in their arms.

"TEDDY THERE ARE YOU! I ALMOST DIED OF WORRY!" Victoire called out loudly, skillfully jumping over the roots towards him.

"Is everything okay? We have to get out of here quickly!" She asked worriedly.

As if on command, a loud wolf howl resounded in the distance. He conjured up a splint that he put around his ankle and then tried to leave the forest as quickly as possible. It was going to be a long evening. First he would inform togehter with Vic Minerva that a strange werewolf is up to mischief here without taking Wolfsbane potion and then he would have a lot to tell to the map. With a happy smile, he took Victoire's hand and pulled her towards the castle. That would be a fun night with the marauders later. The four of them will be overjoyed when they hear that their ideas have worked.

Teddy looked back at the forest. "See you again." He mumbled softly towards the forest.

"What are you saying?" Victoire asked curiously.

"Oh nothing ... all good!"

Victoire seemed to believe him for the moment and pulled him away in the direction of McGonagall's office.  
After a fairly long talk, during which the Headmistress showed obvious concern, Minerva sent them both to their dormitories and set off for the woods with Professor Longbottom, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid.  
Teddy kissed Victoire goodbye before she climbed the stairs to the Ravenclaw Tower and quickly disappeared into his bed behind the curtains.

With the map in hand, he began to draw. Victoire and himself as they stood by the lake and kissed.  
Underneath he wrote neatly but also clearly how quickly he had written "It worked!"

"Congratulations, I told you that the idea was great to have your own little place!" James answered.

"Wow the drawing is beautiful. You should do this more often!" Wrote Peter.

"Yes, how about a self-portrait. I want to know who I'm playing date doctor here for! What if you have a totally crooked nose, for example. You have to know that before you try to get you under the hood! " Sirius wrote scrawly.

Teddy grinned broadly. He'd come to appreciate Sirius' sense of humor over the years.

"I know the place." Added his father. Teddy blushed a little.

"Yes. That is the place where you kissed mom the first time. I got this picture book from Hagrid and looked for the place because I found it so beautiful. I hope you are not mad at me."

"You have good taste Moony. Prongs had a less pretty place for Lily and himself. Well done, pup." The scrawly script reappeared.

Teddy blushed slightly. He had gotten used to the fact that his father's friends had christened him a puppy, but it still seemed oddly strange to him.

"I am glad that you like the place so much." Wrote his father.  
Teddy smiled and began to sketch himself, for this he conjured up a mirror. He had to pause briefly. He hadn't really looked carefully in the mirror in the past few years. He looked a lot like his father when he go with to the pictures he was given. He grinned proudly in the mirror and began to paint.

"You look like Moony." James replied immediately after Teddy stopped painting.

"Yes, a real catch. Very cute, no wonder the pretty young lady with the Veela genes likes him." Sirius cracked it.

Teddy laughed lightly.  
"Is this starting again? Sirius stop flirting at Remus!" Peter's writing appeared.

His father's writing appeared on the parchment. "You have a lot from your mother too! Padfoot ... please leave it ..."  
Teddy smiled with pride in his chest.

"Yes, my cousin definitely inherited her Black cheekbones! Rrr Moony you know I just can't resist you ... but well it's a joke, I wouldn't want to know what Tonks would have done to me ..."  
Teddy laughed softly.

"Thank you. I'm really glad to talk to you guys. I will probably give you guys away soon. I think it's James' time to continue the Marauder business! I will soon be no longer at Hogwarts."

"That's really a shame, I got really attached to you." Answered Peter's round handwriting.

"To my grandson?" Wrote James' handwriting quickly.

"Of course to your grandson, you idiot. Sometimes I think the bludgers beat that bit of brain mass that you possessed out of your ears." Replied Sirius. "Nice to have met you. Hard to believe that Remus of all people got the punk kid with brightly colored hair and a lot of nonsense in his head!"

Teddy smiled broadly when his father's writing appeared one last time.

"I'll miss you. I hope you do well. I'm sure James will share the card with you if you ever need it again! Otherwise I'm looking forward to helping someone new through school! ... Sirius? I think we'll have a long conversation ..."

Teddy stroked the written answers. "Goodbye!"

For the last time all of the four answered him with a 'Goodbye' and than the writing vanished.  
James will be really happy with that map.


End file.
